Utilization Focused Developmental Evaluation: Learning Through Practice
Background: Utilization-focused evaluation provides an overall decision-making framework with the intention of ensuring evaluation products and processes are actually used. Developmental evaluation provides a structure to learn from an experiment or pilot in the making and provide feedback to cours...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University
2015-04-01
|
| Series: | Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.sfu.ca/jmde/index.php/jmde_1/article/view/422 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849727492864081920 |
|---|---|
| author | Ricardo Ramírez Galin Kora Daniel Shephard |
| author_facet | Ricardo Ramírez Galin Kora Daniel Shephard |
| author_sort | Ricardo Ramírez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Utilization-focused evaluation provides an overall decision-making framework with the intention of ensuring evaluation products and processes are actually used. Developmental evaluation provides a structure to learn from an experiment or pilot in the making and provide feedback to course-correct and improve the ongoing effort. In this paper we report on a project where we combined both into a utilization-focused developmental evaluation (UFDE).
Purpose: To determine the theoretical complementarities and the practical advantages of combining UFE with DE, by reflecting on a practical experience. We include a synopsis of the methodology along with a sample of findings, followed by a reflection of the overall process. We emphasize the conditions that enabled this experience to evolve to guide other practitioners interested in this learning approach to evaluation.
Setting: The context was the piloting of a social and financial education curriculum for youth called Aflateen that was developed by Aflatoun Child Savings International in Amsterdam and test-driven by over forty partners around the World.
Intervention: The evaluation experience took place during a ten-month period between December 2012 and October 2013. This paper provides a summary of the context and a justification for the approach.
Research Design: Not applicable.
Data Collection and Analysis: In additional to conventional data collection instruments, we applied participatory inquiry tools from Social Analysis Systems (www.sas2.net) as a means of engaging stakeholders in real-time data collection and analysis.
Findings: Examples are provided to demonstrate how some developmental evaluation findings informed organizational strategic and operational decisions during the life of the evaluation.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d18e8e8e16d9459e8fd2c249c7703e5d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1556-8180 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2015-04-01 |
| publisher | The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation |
| spelling | doaj-art-d18e8e8e16d9459e8fd2c249c7703e5d2025-08-20T03:09:50ZengThe Evaluation Center at Western Michigan UniversityJournal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation1556-81802015-04-01112410.56645/jmde.v11i24.422Utilization Focused Developmental Evaluation: Learning Through PracticeRicardo Ramírez0Galin Kora1Daniel Shephard2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0513-1742Independent researcher and consultant based in Guelph, Ontario, CanadaIndependent researcher and consultant based in Ottawa, CanadaResearch and Curriculum Manager with Aflatoun Secretariat, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (the client)Background: Utilization-focused evaluation provides an overall decision-making framework with the intention of ensuring evaluation products and processes are actually used. Developmental evaluation provides a structure to learn from an experiment or pilot in the making and provide feedback to course-correct and improve the ongoing effort. In this paper we report on a project where we combined both into a utilization-focused developmental evaluation (UFDE). Purpose: To determine the theoretical complementarities and the practical advantages of combining UFE with DE, by reflecting on a practical experience. We include a synopsis of the methodology along with a sample of findings, followed by a reflection of the overall process. We emphasize the conditions that enabled this experience to evolve to guide other practitioners interested in this learning approach to evaluation. Setting: The context was the piloting of a social and financial education curriculum for youth called Aflateen that was developed by Aflatoun Child Savings International in Amsterdam and test-driven by over forty partners around the World. Intervention: The evaluation experience took place during a ten-month period between December 2012 and October 2013. This paper provides a summary of the context and a justification for the approach. Research Design: Not applicable. Data Collection and Analysis: In additional to conventional data collection instruments, we applied participatory inquiry tools from Social Analysis Systems (www.sas2.net) as a means of engaging stakeholders in real-time data collection and analysis. Findings: Examples are provided to demonstrate how some developmental evaluation findings informed organizational strategic and operational decisions during the life of the evaluation. https://journals.sfu.ca/jmde/index.php/jmde_1/article/view/422utilization-focused evaluationdevelopmental evaluationorganizational learningparticipatory inquirysocial and financial education |
| spellingShingle | Ricardo Ramírez Galin Kora Daniel Shephard Utilization Focused Developmental Evaluation: Learning Through Practice Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation utilization-focused evaluation developmental evaluation organizational learning participatory inquiry social and financial education |
| title | Utilization Focused Developmental Evaluation: Learning Through Practice |
| title_full | Utilization Focused Developmental Evaluation: Learning Through Practice |
| title_fullStr | Utilization Focused Developmental Evaluation: Learning Through Practice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Utilization Focused Developmental Evaluation: Learning Through Practice |
| title_short | Utilization Focused Developmental Evaluation: Learning Through Practice |
| title_sort | utilization focused developmental evaluation learning through practice |
| topic | utilization-focused evaluation developmental evaluation organizational learning participatory inquiry social and financial education |
| url | https://journals.sfu.ca/jmde/index.php/jmde_1/article/view/422 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ricardoramirez utilizationfocuseddevelopmentalevaluationlearningthroughpractice AT galinkora utilizationfocuseddevelopmentalevaluationlearningthroughpractice AT danielshephard utilizationfocuseddevelopmentalevaluationlearningthroughpractice |